Protective padded garments

ABSTRACT

A protective garment system is disclosed. The protective garment system may include a plurality of chest padding, a plurality of abdominal padding, a plurality of lateral padding, a plurality of back padding, a plurality of hip padding, a plurality of upper leg padding, a plurality of knee padding, a plurality of lower leg padding, an exemplary upper garment, an exemplary lower garment, a plurality of padding filler, an exemplary headwear and a plurality of head padding. The plurality of padding may be disposed on the plurality of exemplary articles of clothing so as to provide a comfortable wearing experience and to protect the most vulnerable portions of the human body. A user may wear at least one of exemplary articles of clothing on their body for everyday use. Then if the user experienced a fall, the plurality of padding would reduce the risk of serious injury by absorbing the shock and or impact of the fall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to protective padded garments and, moreparticularly, to everyday wear that can reduce the risk of injury forindividuals, especially those with a much higher risk of being seriouslyinjured from a fall.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every yearapproximately one-third of people 65 and older suffer a fall each year;one out of five such falls causes a serious injury such as a head traumaor fracture; over 2 million older adults are treated in emergencydepartments for nonfatal fall injuries each year; and direct medicalcosts for fall injuries total over $28 billion annually.

Falls are the bane of older adults for many reasons. Besidesdegenerative physical deterioration, many elderly suffer fromosteoporosis, which is a condition that is characterized by a decreasein bone mass and density which can lead to an increased risk offracture.

There are a variety of non-elderly adults, too, for whom commonplacefalls pose dangerous consequences as well as hamper the ability to leadactive, independent lives. Such as individuals on anticoagulants, peoplewith diabetes, individuals with varicose veins or any other ailmentsthat prevent normal wound healing. What these individuals have in commonis that if they fell or bumped into an object it can develop into ahematoma or wound that will need long term medical intervention.

Currently shock absorbable technology in garments is geared to thevagaries of sports activity or is for cosmetic enhancement and notgeared for everyday use, which in turn requires such garments to bewashable, comfortable and appropriate for meeting dress codes orotherwise socially acceptable.

As can be seen, there is a need for garments that reduces the risk ofserious injury when the user experiences a fall or other collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a protective garment systemcomprises: an upper garment of material configured for wear by a humanon the torso thereof, wherein the upper garment forms a plurality ofupper padding regions shaped to compliment portions of the torso andback region of a wearer; a plurality of pocket sheets of materialanchored to the upper garment forming a plurality of padding cavitiesbetween the plurality of upper padding regions and the plurality ofpocket sheets; and a plurality of padding received in the plurality ofpadding cavities between the upper garment and the plurality of pocketsheets, whereby the human wearer would be socially appropriate for alltypes of indoor and outdoor activity.

In another aspect of the present invention, a protective garment systemcomprising, a lower garment of material configured for wear by a humanon the lower portion thereof, wherein the lower garment forms pluralityof lower padding regions shaped to compliment portions of the lower halfof a wearer; a plurality of pocket sheets of material anchored to thelower garment forming a plurality of padding cavities between theplurality of lower padding regions and the plurality of pocket sheets;and a plurality of padding received in the plurality of padding cavitiesbetween the lower garment and the plurality of pocket sheets.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a section detail view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention along line 4-4 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5: shows a front and back view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a protectivegarment system. The protective garment system may include a plurality ofchest padding, a plurality of abdominal padding, a plurality of lateralpadding, a plurality of back padding, a plurality of hip padding, aplurality of upper leg padding, a plurality of knee padding, a pluralityof lower leg padding, an exemplary upper garment, an exemplary lowergarment, a plurality of padding filler, an exemplary headwear and aplurality of head padding. The plurality of padding may be disposed onthe plurality of exemplary articles of clothing so as to provide acomfortable wearing experience and to protect the most vulnerableportions of the human body. A user may wear at least one of exemplaryarticles of clothing on their body for everyday use. Then if the userexperienced a fall, the plurality of padding would reduce the risk ofserious injury by absorbing the shock and or impact of the fall.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, the present invention may include aprotective garment system 100. The protective garment system 100 mayinclude a plurality of chest padding 10, a plurality of abdominalpadding 12, a plurality of lateral padding 14, a plurality of backpadding 16, a plurality of hip padding 18, a plurality of upper legpadding 20, a plurality of knee padding 22, a plurality of lower legpadding 24, an exemplary upper garment 26, an exemplary lower garment28, a plurality of padding filler 30, an exemplary headwear 32 and aplurality of head padding 34.

The exemplary upper garment 26 may include a shirt, top, sweater, andthe like. The exemplary lower garment 28 may include pants, trousers,shorts and the like. The exemplary headwear 32 may include hats, caps,and the like.

The plurality of padding filler 30 may be made of material that ismachine-washable, holds a formed shape and absorbs impact forces such asfoam, gel, polymers, combinations thereof, and the like.

The plurality of exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32 may bewaterproof making them wearable in wet conditions, such as the shower,which poses a high risk for slips and falls, especially for the elderlywho tend to suffer from declining balance and vision. The plurality ofexemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32 may be made of material thatis aesthetically pleasing, such as cotton, polyester, silk, nylon,spandex, denim, wool, khaki, and the like, so that the resultingprotective garment system 100 would be socially appropriate for alltypes of indoor and outdoor activity.

The plurality of padding 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 34 may includethe plurality of padding filler 30 housed in a plurality of paddingcavities 40 disposed along portions of each the plurality of exemplaryarticles of clothing 26, 28, 32. The plurality of padding cavities 40may be disposed along the inner or outer lining of the plurality ofexemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32 so as to maintain the overallaesthetic appealing look and feel thereof. The plurality of paddingcavities 40 may be formed by a plurality of padding sheets 42 affixed toportions the plurality of exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32coinciding with the plurality of padding 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24,34. The plurality of padding sheets 42 may be anchored to portions ofthe plurality of exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32 by sewing andor using adhesives. In certain embodiments, the plurality of padding 10,12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 34 may be heat-transferred onto theexemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32.

The plurality of padding 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 34 may bedisposed on the plurality of exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32so as to provide a comfortable wearing experience and to protect themost vulnerable portions of the human body, such as but not limited tothe ribs, hip, thighs, knees, and anterior portions of the shins.

The plurality of head padding 34 may extend along a portion of theexemplary headwear 32. The plurality of head padding 34 may bedimensioned and adapted to protect the frontal, parietal, temporal andoccipital of the human head.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. Theprotective garment system 100 disclosed above may be provided. A usermay wear at least one of the exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32on their body for everyday use. Then if the user experienced a fall, theplurality of padding 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 34 may reduce therisk of serious injury by absorbing the shock and or impact of the fall.In certain embodiments, the user may wear at least one of the pluralityof exemplary articles of clothing 26, 28, 32 on their body for showeringso that if they were able to slip.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A protective garment system comprising: an uppergarment of material configured for wear by a human on the torso thereof,wherein the upper garment forms a plurality of upper padding regionsshaped to compliment portions of the torso and back region of a wearer;a plurality of pocket sheets of material anchored to the upper garmentforming a plurality of padding cavities between the plurality of upperpadding regions and the plurality of pocket sheets; and a plurality ofpadding received in the plurality of padding cavities between the uppergarment and the plurality of pocket sheets, whereby the human wearerwould be socially appropriate for all types of indoor and outdooractivity.
 2. The protective garment system of claim 1, wherein theplurality of upper padding regions are disposed on the chest, abdominaland latissimus dorsi region.
 3. The protective garment system of claim2, wherein the plurality of padding is heat-transferred onto theplurality of upper padding regions.
 4. The protective garment system ofclaim 1, further including a lower garment of material configured forwear by the human on the lower portion thereof, comprising: a pluralityof lower padding regions shaped to compliment portions of the lower halfof the wearer; a plurality of pocket sheets of material anchored to thelower garment forming a plurality of padding cavities between theplurality of lower padding regions and the plurality of pocket sheets;and a plurality of padding received in the plurality of padding cavitiesbetween the lower garment and the plurality of pocket sheets.
 5. Theprotective garment system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of lowerpadding regions are disposed on the hip, upper leg, knee and lower legregion.
 6. The protective garment system of claim 5, wherein theplurality of padding is heat-transferred onto the plurality lowerpadding regions.
 7. The protective garment system of claim 4, furtherincluding a garment headwear of material configured for wear by thehuman on the head thereof, comprising: a plurality of headwear paddingregions shaped to compliment the frontal, parietal, temporal andoccipital region of the wearer; a plurality of pocket sheets of materialanchored to the garment headwear forming a plurality of padding cavitiesbetween the plurality of headwear padding regions and the plurality ofpocket sheets; and a plurality of padding received in the plurality ofpadding cavities between the garment headwear and the plurality ofpocket sheets.
 8. A protective garment system comprising, a lowergarment of material configured for wear by a human on the lower portionthereof, wherein the lower garment forms plurality of lower paddingregions shaped to compliment portions of the lower half of a wearer; aplurality of pocket sheets of material anchored to the lower garmentforming a plurality of padding cavities between the plurality of lowerpadding regions and the plurality of pocket sheets; and a plurality ofpadding received in the plurality of padding cavities between the lowergarment and the plurality of pocket sheets.
 9. The protective garmentsystem of claim 8, wherein the plurality of lower padding regions aredisposed on the hip, upper leg, knee and lower leg region.
 10. Theprotective garment system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of paddingis heat-transferred onto the plurality lower padding regions.
 11. Theprotective garment system of claim 8, further including a garmentheadwear of material configured for wear by the human on the headthereof, comprising: a plurality of headwear padding regions shaped tocompliment the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital region of thewearer; a plurality of pocket sheets of material anchored to the garmentheadwear forming a plurality of padding cavities between the pluralityof headwear padding regions and the plurality of pocket sheets; and aplurality of padding received in the plurality of padding cavitiesbetween the garment headwear and the plurality of pocket sheets.
 12. Aprotective headwear, comprising, a garment headwear of materialconfigured for wear by a human on the head thereof, comprising: aplurality of headwear padding regions shaped to compliment the frontal,parietal, temporal and occipital region of the wearer; a plurality ofpocket sheets of material anchored to the garment headwear forming aplurality of padding cavities between the plurality of headwear paddingregions and the plurality of pocket sheets; and a plurality of paddingreceived in the plurality of padding cavities between the garmentheadwear and the plurality of pocket sheets.
 13. The protective headwearof claim 12, wherein the material is waterproof.
 14. The protectiveheadwear of claim 12, wherein the plurality of headwear padding isheat-transferred onto the plurality of headwear padding regions.